B – Log

It seems the standard method for American terrorism is too shoot your own classmates or neighbors while they are in school and once again this time in Ohio a 17 year old male did just that, there are mixed stories being broadcast about this young man T.J. Lane, age 17 who unlike most school shooters did not die via suicide. Lane was arrested and will be charged in (you guessed it) juvenile court. This kid did not rob a store of baseball cards; he shot 5 people hardly a juvenile crime.

Part of the problem here is that criminal justice system needs a complete overhaul, from illegal immigration to the parole system, nothing makes sense anymore and this system has been a failure for decades.

Shortly the anti gun lobbyists will be out in full force talking about stricter laws and attacking the gun lobby, NRA and all pro second amendment Citizens as if we all fired the shots in Ohio.

Unfortunately there is usually no rational thought in many of these arguments just a knee jerk emotional response to a much greater problem.

The problem in my opinion is apathy. This young man T.J. Lane reportedly posted on his Face-book page according to an MSNBC report, a letter oddly written in the third person, with the last line stating to the effect: “all of you should die” . This was posted on a social network, not hidden in a journal, where are this kid’s friends and family?

Time after time, there were clear warning signs that go unnoticed, however these  ”hidden messages” are broadcast on National Television within hours of an arrest, why is that?

We as a society are so quick to blame a high visibility target (firearms), so quick to attempt to fix a problem without ever understanding what the true problem actually is, “we need new and tougher laws” we already have some of the toughest gun laws on the books, it is neither the law nor the guns themselves that are the problem.

People and Apathy are the problem, if someone, anyone would have attempted to intervene in this guys life, maybe the outcome would have been different.

Certainly the fact that a 17 year old had access to a firearm is troubling, There has been no information on that, so adults who own firearms have to responsible and held accountable, to that end there are no excuses.

This is another avoidable tragedy, one that never should have happened and through proper education and mentoring it is likely this entire episode could have been avoided and the paths of T.J. Lane and the 5 students that were shot may never have crossed in this way.

All anyone is left with is the sadness and shock that yet another set of families, an entire community is left to wonder what happened and why.

The parents of the victims are left to bury their young children and attempt to find some way to move forward.

February 23rd a red letter day for The United States Marine Corp, on this day 67 years ago (1945) United States Marines reach the summit of Mount Suribachi on the the island of Iwo Jima, The US flag is hoisted, four days after the Marines landed on the island, fierce fighting will continue until March 26th when the remaining Japanese are finally killed. Just 200 of the nearly 21,000 Japanese survive. 6,000 Marines and 90 Navy Corpsman are killed, among the dead Marine Sergeant John Basilone, New Jersey Native and Medal of Honor recipient from Guadalcanal, in addition 17,200 Marines are wounded. It is the ferocity of the Japanese defense that helped secure the fate of Hiroshima and Nagasaki later that year.

The few that survive today are old men, forgotten and dismissed, Semper Fi and may God bless them all…

‘What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal”

Albert Pine

Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.

Always point the muzzle in a safe direction (down range)

Be certain of your target and what is beyond it.

Keep your finger outside the trigger guard until ready to shoot.

ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

Know how to use the gun safely. (never assume guests are familiar with a particular firearm)

Use only the correct ammunition for your gun.

Always Wear eye and ear protection on the range.

Never use alcohol, over-the-counter, prescription or other drugs before or while shooting.

Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.

Certain types of guns and many shooting activities require additional safety precautions.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Regular cleaning is important in order for your gun to operate correctly and safely. Taking proper care of it will also maintain its value and extend its life. Your gun should be cleaned every time that it is used.

A gun brought out of prolonged storage should also be cleaned before shooting. Accumulated moisture and dirt, or solidified grease and oil, can prevent the gun from operating properly.

Before cleaning your gun, make absolutely sure that it is unloaded. The gun’s action should be open during the cleaning process. Also, be sure that no ammunition is present in the cleaning area.

• Use snap caps only for firearm function tests.

When asked, how he became a hero, President John F. Kennedy replied –  ”It was easy, they sank my boat”